Ideas That Work: How Well Do You Know Your Staff?

You want to know the likes, dislikes and quirks of every staff member on your team, but it’s not always easy to get to know the person behind the mask. To remedy this issue, one problem-solving director came up with a simple way to learn more about her workers. She created a “Just A Few Of Your Favorite Things” form that administrators, directors and nursing managers distribute to their staff. 

In addition to covering standard-but-important information such as birthdays, a three-question section titled “What Else Should We Know?” asks staff about their food preferences, how they like to be recognized, and personal hobbies and interests. Perhaps the most revealing part of the form is this question: “If you found a gift card in these amounts ($5, $25, $50) where would you want to spend it?” The answers staff provide can help you pick out the perfect way to provide a treat or recognize their hard work. It only takes a few minutes for staff to complete the form and their responses are guaranteed to garner invaluable information and spark plenty of interesting conversations.